Glen Kotzen’s Woodhill Racing Team celebrated an historic victory at Fairview on Friday when the Ridgemont-bred Dynasty gelding King Regent became the first holder of the Nelson Mandela Bay Poly Challenge triple crown as he drew away late in the race to win the R175 000 Poly Challenge 1600.
History made! Denis Schwarz drives King Regent to a milestone victory chased by Cherry Ano (Craig Zackey), Bush Tracker (Louis Mxothwa) and Chase Maujean on The Mauritian (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Showing versatility, consistency and courage after a total of close on 4000km of beautiful Garden Route road-tripping from Paarl to Gqeberha behind him and his passionate Groom Siyolise Sikhumba over the past two months, King Regent looked a picture in the pre-race parade and duly delivered on the hype and expectation to crown his 1200m and 1400m victories, with an icebreaking first career success over the mile.
Going off at 3-10, King Regent never looked like being beaten and disposed of long-time pacesetter Cherry Ano (10-1) by 1,25 lengths in a time of 95,72 secs.
The winner’s former stablemate Bush Tracker (20-1) was a further quarter length back in third, with The Mauritian (20-1) capping the quartet.
Jockey Denis Schwarz, who rode King Regent throughout the challenge, said he didn’t get the best of breaks and the pace suited his mount. “I was confident when we turned for home. It’s nice to get our names into the history books. Well done to the Woodhill team,” added the Highveld-based jockey.
Kuyan Kotzen saddled the winner on behalf of his Dad Glen and thanked their loyal UK-based owners Gisela Burg and Martin Wickens and the team in Paarl.
Groom ‘Fafa’ Sikhumba proudly made his charge a springbok skin to denote his new status as the ‘king of kings’. Trainer Glen Kotzen praised his staff and said he was ‘beyond thrilled’ for Fafa, who looks after King Regent ‘like a baby’.
Now a winner of R1 543 563 (including Friday’s R250 000 win bonus) with 7 wins and 7 places from his 17 starts, King Regent is raced by longstanding former UK and now Cape residents Martin Wickens and Gisela Burg, and cost R225 000 at the Cape Yearling sale of his year.
Bred by Ridgemont, the winner is a son of the farm’s late iconic sire Dynasty (Fort Wood) out of the three-time winning Mogok mare, Cup Of Rubies.
Next Friday there is more big racing from Gqeberha with the running of the Betway Algoa Cup – a race tagged the ‘PE July’ for many years.
